Lunch with the aunts and uncles.. . plus a couple of cousins

It was the day of our bi-monthly luncheon last week, a day for my mom and her siblings to be together for a couple of hours. Since half of them don't drive anymore their children get to go as well and see their cousins. This is something I've really enjoyed.
The entire idea arose due to Facebook, when one of my cousins and I reconnected after many years (or was that decades?). 

I've discovered something over the past three months of blogging; when you show up with a camera some folks get a bit figgity about being on the World Wide Web. So I'm going to be extra careful to protect their privacy while introducing you to them. 

To be perfectly honest though I have not told my aunts and uncles about Sideline Grandma. They're not really 'computer' people.
But I had one strong, let's say blunt, request from a sister about the photos as we were taking them, "Don't be puttin these  on Facebook.", I'll assume she means a blog too. Which she doesn't know a thing about either. Am I making this confusing and muddled? Are you ready to go back to whatever you were reading before you stopped at Sideline? Probably.

But how could I not take advantage of this opportunity to introduce you to the sweetest older generation any girl could wish for?
How to do this without embarrassing anyone and not putting their pictures out there for the world to see?
Know what? I'm not all that wild about having my picture on here either, when I see myself it makes me wonder, Who is that old woman?!
The solution to the privacy dilema? You'll see.

Let's start at the top, with mom, the oldest in her family at 94 and the second sibling, her brother.
He recently celebrated his 90th birthday by going kayaking down the fastest river in Michigan along with his wife and children.
He volunteers to drive people to their doctor's appointments, supposedly they would be younger then he, don't you think?
He's a WWII army veteran.




 

Please meet another uncle, the 3rd child in the family.

He was a fighter pilot in WWII, my goodness he landed those planes on aircraft carriers,

that's just so cool. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor he immediately wanted to join the Navy. At the physical examination prior to joining the doctor told him his appentix needed to come out.

That surgery was scheduled as soon as possible 

so he could recover and get to bootcamp.

So proud of him! 



Here's my Mom with her sister in law. My aunt is a dancer who has choreographed lyrical dances, she's a singer as well. 
She's been on the Christian Women's Club board for 30 years.
Plus she's a quilter.  

 How about a group shot of me and the uncles?
That's me with the dark hair.



From the glasses and dark hair
I'll bet you can tell these gals are cousins.
The cousin at the top is a quilting instructor.  



Another lovely aunt.. had to show her smile. Nice manicure.  She's a teacher, an artist, a quilter, and an inspiration.

Are you suspecting we gals might talk quilting at these luncheons?


Here's the youngest of the aunts, she's 80, and was just out of the hospital from a blood clot in her lung, 
but she came to the lunch.
What a life she's lead traveling the world for missions through her church.
In the past she gave inspirational presentations with her friend, a quilting expert and competition judge, they used quilts for visual impact in that presentation. Included also was a cherished letter written by her grandfather who was a circuit riding preacher. In that letter he mentions his little son who had sent him a colored drawing and he spoke of a quilt and it's comfort. He died when his son was five years old, that boy would be my grandfather.
She opened a new avenue in life to me, 
that was the love of quilts. 



Another photo of mom's sister in law, as sweet as you please, this woman. The avid animal lover, she's been known to go outside to talk to the deer who are eating the bushes in her yard to kindly inform them they really shouldn't do that.
And they listen.
Such a kind lady. And full of life!



Hey uncles, we could sit there for many hours chatting about just about anything.

Mom has pretty hair doesn't she? She was a beautician for years. My father built an addition onto our house in the country so she could have a business of her own and stay at home. We only had one car so she was at home all the time.
Lots of women would drive from the nearby towns out to the country to get their hair done at our house. We kids were so naughty sometimes and would pick fights with each other. Boy how embarrassing that must have been for her!
 Now and then I'll run into a woman my age who remarks, "I went to your mom when I was a little girl to get my hair done. I loved going, it was such a big deal." 



Is this not a precious thing? After all these two have been through in life. He's been taking care of her at home due to  sicknesses and lately that blood clot. They lost one son to a car accident years ago at 17 years old. As well as dealing with all the other situations life brings along.
This was a touching little moment, a reminder of their love.  
When everyone lined up for the group shot she reached up for his hand. 
Makes my heart all tender and drippy.   



OK.. I'm posting this one whole.  
Mom and her brother at his 90th birthday party. He's such a sweet brother. 
Oh good night now I'm all weepy. 



Thankful to those who've gone before and laid the groundwork in our lives. Who has been faithful to our Lord and set the tone of what life should be all about.

How blessed we are.

Sideline Grandma